The incidence of difficult airways in an Australian adult tertiary–quaternary hospital: a retrospective observational study of 5,293 episodes of anesthesia
Authors' conclusion
The incidence of difficult airways in this contemporary cohort was low and aligned with published estimates.
Study context
- Population
- Adult nonobstetric patients undergoing GA with airway instrumentation at a single tertiary-quaternary Australian hospital, 6-month period
- Participants
- 5,293 patients
- Outcome
- Incidence of difficult airways (Canadian Airway Focus Group criteria)
Methodological detailssingle-centre, Data extracted from anesthetic records, Difficult airways classified as anticipated or unanticipated by preoperative airway assessment
- Single-centre
- Data extracted from anesthetic records
- Difficult airways classified as anticipated or unanticipated by preoperative airway assessment
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Difficult airway incidence
Difficult airway
207
4%
Unanticipated, of difficult airways
71%
146/207
Unanticipated difficult airway incidence
3%
146/5,293
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| VL use in anticipated vs unanticipated difficult airwaysVL more commonly used in anticipated | 3.8 (2.0–7.0) | |
| Cormack-Lehane grade 3 and 4 glottic viewsVL vs Direct laryngoscopy | 0.3 (0.2–0.6) | |
| 0.10.31310Odds ratio (log scale) |
Predictors of difficult airways
- Reduced thyromental distance, restricted neck extension and high Mallampati scores significant predictors
- P < 0.05 for all
Original publication
The incidence of difficult airways in an Australian adult tertiary–quaternary hospital: a retrospective observational study of 5,293 episodes of anesthesia. Can J Anaesth. Published 4 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →